Tulsi Gabbard fought back against what she called “smears,” declaring she is nobody’s “puppet” before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

President Donald Trump's choice to direct U.S. intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, faces a Senate panel that is divided over its position on her nomination in a confirmation hearing on Thursday.

Facing more than a dozen questions about her views on NSA leaker Edward Snowden, Tulsi Gabbard held her ground at her Senate confirmation hearing.

EXCLUSIVE: Dozens of top former intelligence officials are urging members of the Senate to confirm President Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, saying she will “begin undoing the gross politicization that has come to characterize intelligence bureaucracies,

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, faced tough questioning in her Senate confirmation hearing.

It’s Gabbard’s comments, however, that have posed the biggest challenge to her confirmation. Gabbard has repeatedly echoed Russian propaganda used to justify the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a corrupt autocrat.

Analysis: Democrats grandstanded, but it might be the questioning of two Republican hawks that sinks Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence, Eric Garcia reports

DNI nominee Tulsi Gabbard provided additional details on her meeting with then-Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in 2017, while appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

With Democrats opposed and some Republican votes wavering, the committee could employ unusual maneuvers to advance Trump’s controversial pick for director of national intelligence.

If confirmed, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard would become the youngest-ever DNI. Sources tell ABC News the vote on her nomination is expected to be close.

Former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence, faced harsh criticism of her past defense of former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and comments seen as supportive of Russia at a confirmation hearing on Thursday.

Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee, grilled Tulsi Gabbard on her previous remarks praising Edward Snowden.